Kiln for burning clay products and the like.



e. mos/W. v KILN FOR BURNING CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATKON F!LED lAN.3,19l4.

Patented July 20, 915. Y

1,1 .9 SHEET I 5 a: N 3

Patented July 20, 1915.

BSHEETS-SHEET 2.

53v; OGAN. KILN FOR BURNING CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN-3.1914.

e. w. OGANf KILN FOR BURNINQ CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

PatentedJuly 20, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

e. W. OGAN.

KILN FOR BURNING CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3.1914.

1,147, 1 1 7. Patented July 20, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

e. W. OGAN.

KILN FOR BURNING CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE KE APPLICATION FILED IAN. 3, I91 I Patsnted. July 20, 1915.

'5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

GEORGE W. OGAN, 0F DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

KILN FOR BURNING CLAY PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed January 3, 1914. Serial No. 810,123. v 1

To all 2071 0m it m a concern:

Be it known that 1', GEORGE \V. (Max, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danvillef in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Kilns f Burning Clay Products and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in kilns; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiments and mechanical expressions from among other constructions and-arrangements within the spirit and scopeof my invention.

An object of the invention is to provide means and arrangements, in kilns for burning articles of clay or equivalent material, designed to produce uniform burning of all of the clay articles in a kiln, and hence to raise to the maximum the percentage of perfectly fired or burned articles produced at each firing. 1

A. further object of the invention is to provide kilns for firing articles of clay and the like, with improvements designed to maintain an approximately uniform temperature throughout all portions of the mass or piles of clay articles during the burning process.

A further object of the invention is to provide a kiln having a compartment or chamber with burners discharging thereinto, and passages or fines to produce an up draft through the articles tobe burned in one portion of the chamber and a down draft through the articles to be burned .in another portion of said, chamber, and additional burners discharging into said compartment to support or supplement combustion or to supply heated products in or above said "articles, with the end in view of attaining umform firing or burning of all sa1d artlcles in said compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in arrangements and combinations of flues and burners with the end in view of providing ahighly efiicient and advantageous kiln for burning articles of clay or other material.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and. particularly set forth and pointed out hereinafter.

Referring. to the accompanyin .drawlugs ;-F1gure 1, is a sideelevation of a portion of a multi-compartment kiln embody;

Fig. 2, 1s a horizontal" ing my invention. longitudinal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3, is a vertical longitudinal section taken approximately in the plane of the line Fig. Figs. 1, 6 and T, are vertical'cross" sectional views taken, respectively, in the planes of the lines l4; 66; 7-], Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, is a vertical cross section on the line 55, Fig. 2. Fig. 8, is vertical."longitudinal section in the plane of one of the fines 15, F 2. Fig. 9, is a bottom perspective of one of the floor tiles 'over the transverse flues between the down draft or depressed burners. Fig. 10, is a horizontal section of a single compartment kiln. Fig. 11, is a vertical section on the line 111l, Fig. 10. Fig. 12, is a horizontal section on the line 12-42, Fig. 11. Fig. 13, is a vertical section on the line 13-13, Fig. 10. A'

The multi-compartinent kiln comprises suitable inclosing-walls, a floor, and a roof or top, and the nclosing walls include a pan. of opposite side longitudmal walls 1. The

interior of the kiln is divided into usually similar compartments by transverse partition walls 2, o1n1ngthe side walls 1, and extending from the ceiling or roof to the foundation, and each partition or transverse wall is preferably imperforate except at its lower portion to prevent direct communicabut I wish it distinctly understood that my v invention is not so limited and that I show three compartments merely as a' convenient number for purposes of illustratlon. fTl e qkiln can be composed of any number of compartments, although as at present advised by experience, I deem it inadvis' ble'toQbiiild a. multicom partment kiln under this "particular form off my invention haviiwiless than threecompartments; i

In the example illustrated, all of the com: partments AQB; i

top open spa e a.

horizontal floor 3, tosupport the articles to be burned, and this floor is elevated a distance above the foundation or ground line or level 4-, to provide for various fines or passages beneath the floor as hereinafter recited. Each compartment of the kiln is provided with one or more side doors 5,

through which the com artments can. be

filled and emptied as Will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Each compartment is designed to have the articles to be burned stacked orpiled on the floor 3,:to approximately fill the compartment to a certain height, preferably so as to leave a longitudinal combustion space or passage a, above the mass of articles to be burned and/below the ceiling or roof, and,

also to have the articles to be burned so stacked or piled as to provide a vertical deflecting screen or partition (indicated by dotted lines Z2) arranged centrally across the compartment from side wall to side Wall and eXte ding from the floor up to said (l This deflecting screen is preferably temporary or removable, and is usually formed when the compartment is "filled and removed when the compartment is side of said deflecting partition.

Suitable down draft burners are provided at the front end portion of each compartment, to maintain the heat or combustion within the updraft end or portion of the compartment, while suitable updraft burners are provided to discharge heated or burning products into the combustion space a, and thus supplement the heated products from the first mentioned burners, and maintain the desired temperature in the mass of art cles to be burned in the downdraft portion of the compartment. Thedcsign of the structure is to maintain the desired burning temperature equally throughout all portions of the two stacks of articles to be burned on opposite sides of the deflecting screen or par tition 7). In the particular example illustrated, each. compartment is provided with a depressed com lmstion chan'iber or passage 0, arranged below the lioorfi. and extending transversely across the kiln. from one side Wall to the other at the inlet or front end portion of the compartment, and suitable burners are provided at the opposite ends of this passage 0, to discharge burning fluids or products thereinto. For instance, I show depressed so-called downdraft furnaces 6, arranged in the opposite side walls of the kiln'and operative from the exterior there-v of through doors, draft controlling means, and openings 6, and discharging directly into the opposite ends of said passage 0. However, as at present advised by experience, I do not wish to limit myself to burners for maintaining the heat inpassage 0, formed by furnaces G, such as shown.

- Suitable means are provided for discharging the hot or burning products or fluids from the passage 0, through the floor 3, so as to uniformly distribute the same throughout the mass of articles piled on said floor at the updraft side of the temporary screen or partition 7). For instance, I provide series of parallel longitudinal flues 7, below the floor 3, and opening laterally into and extending in opposite directions from the passage 0, and uniformly distributed from one side of the kiln to the other and having top openings 8, through the kiln floor for the upward discharge of the hot or burning products into the stack of articles on said floor. The hot or burning products are drawn laterally from the passage 0, through said flues and are discharged upwardly therefrom through the outlets S. and these outlets are uniformly distributed throughout the area of the floor at the updraft side or portion of the compartment.

The fines 7, below the door 3, of the kiln are formed by or are located between longitudinal spaced walls 9, built up from or laid on the ground or other foundation 4, and supporting the floor 3. This floor comprises brick, tile or other suitable material laid or resting on the top edges of the walls 9, and covering the spaces between said walls except where d aft openings in said floor are provided. These longitudinal walls 9, beneath the floor of a compartment terminate at the opposite longitudinal sides of the combustion passage 0 of said compartment. and the longitudinal spaces or lines between said walls 9, open at their ends into the passage 0. and receive the hot products therefrom. If so desired, two longitudinal walls 9, located about centrally between the kiln side walls can be extended part way across the passage 0, to form obstructions 9*, at and partially closing the central portion of said passage to. tend to equalize thedraft on said two burners through the passage.

If so desired, the portion of the floor of the -compartment over and constituting the top wall of the passage 0. can be formed by a series of horizontal overlapping refractile material blocks 3 resting on and supported by vertical walls of the passage and fines beneath the fioor.. Each block can be -:1mif01-1n' heating of said formed with a concavity 3 extending across its bottom to form a portion of the arched ceiling of the passage. 0, and a concavity 3,extending across its bottom at right angles to the concavity 3", and of a reduced radius with respect thereto to'form and provide the opposite side outlets from the pas- ,sage 0, to the longitudinal flues 7.

The formation of the under side of'the block 3, with the concavities arranged at right angles to each other, providesdepen'ding supports or pillars at the four corners.

.wThese pillars rest on the top edges of the walls forming the sides of passage 0, andsupport the block. I wish it understood, however, that I do not wish to limit my in-.

vention to the particular blocks described for covering the passages c, as other means can be employed for this purpose.

The rear or right hand ends of the updraft distributing-fines 7, extending from the right hand side of a transverse passagec, are closed by a transverse verticalwall 11, rising from the foundation and extending to the floor 3, and preferably located in the same vertical plane'as and forming a downward continuation of the temporary 'defiecting'screen or partition 6, and in fact indicating the line along which said partition should be erected in filling the compart ment with the articles to be burned.

The lefthand ends of the updraft distributing flues 7, extendingfrom the opposite or left hand side of passage 0, are closed "a damper (Z, operative-from the exterior either by theleft hand end wall' ll, of'the kiln (in the first compartment A) or in the remaining compartments, by a transverse "erticalwallll closing the space between the foundation at, and the'kiln'fl'oor The transverse'pa ssage c, of compartment is spaced from the walls 11 and 11 (or-11 and is arranged between said walls so that the flues 7 extend in opposite direcand have a multiplicity of ,to1 outlets 8, through the floor 3,'a'bo've the fines. These 'outlets 8,areapproximately uniformly distributed throughout the portion of the floor ofa compartment between the kiln side -walls'"and'the depressed walls ll'and 11 (or 11*) to-cause uniform updraft through the mass of articles to be: burned located to theleft ofthe deflecting partition b,"and portion offthe-floor and of tlie articles-thereon. i j

1 The outlet 'or down draft'portion or end of each compartment is located to'the right of the deflecting partition @{off i paftment, an d longitudinal downward suction or outlet flues:12, are arrangedbelow the floor 3,- of saidp'ortionof thef'don'ip'art- "ment' and formed" between itudi'nal walls 9, Said portionbf e flo the "compartn'rent betwenfthef flefct ngi partinan =b', the compartment endwall :2,- and the is: located a th the downdra' "partment; I I 3 j A p I 1 usiial-ly arrange a horizontal'longitudi n al deflector or i belcw the lateral openings th 12 a kiln side walls, is formed with a multiplicity of suction croutlet openings '8'," int0"the fines 12, and approximately uniformly-dispartment, extend from the transverse depressed central wall 11, ot such "'compart- *ment to the transverse depressed'front end -wall 11*,of the next compartment and said fines are closed at their'ends'by said transverse walls. In other words, 'said{wall 11 'flues 12, of the next compartmeiitito the left.--- c v.

The draft through the'kiln' is maintained by a suitablestack or fan (notfshown) or both, communicating 'ivi'thfa inain outlet flue D, usually arranged under ground and longitudinally of the kiln andhaving (usuallyi underground) branch ou'tletbr draft fines d, opening thereinto and'extendinglaterally therefrom to pointsbeneath the" kiln I floor, into communicationfwiththe suction or down draftfiues yrespectlvely.

12 the comparm 1 Each branch draft'flue il;isfprovided with of the kiln, f r i ndependently c'lo'sing or opening direct communication between such compartment and the main draftlflue'. The branch fines (Z, extend, usually, in the form of tunnels, transversely of the compartments and open directly thereinto.""* "The depressed flue (were tom of the suction fines 12, of such compartments the compartment usually app-r in 'telv midway between the depresse transverse wall 11 the compartment andithe bas 'of the right hand'end w'alIZ bf-such' -c'ornjgiart- -ment,-'and is formed with an arched top constituting a floor support and throughoiitits length having longitudinalseri'eis of spaced opposite side'or" lateral dpeningsinto the 'seifies of spaced longitudinal suction fines 12, so'that the all and gasebus"pi-tuners fwill; be drawn into fined, froin flues 12 ,and thereinto un-mr hmanger i'tom "of the down draftlibrton' ofjthe comfront "the botpartitionf-tl ind each flue '(l', v

djacentfthe"outlet? Q I namin a. mmetal-aft in theisevcral flues 2" below the floors thereof and intersect all end in view of causing the flue (Z, to draw uniformly on all of the fines 12, opening thereinto.

To aid in maintaining the desired approximately uniform temperature throughout all portions of the stacks of articles to be burned on both sides of the deflecting partitions 7), of the compartments, I provide 'eaeh compartment with several spaced'lon- 'gitudmal updraft fines 15, beneath the floor of the compartment and extending from and opening into the combustion passage 0, un-

. pairs of longitudinal walls 9, and the transverse bottom -walls 11, are formed with transverse openings coinciding with said flues 15, so that said fines are continuousthrough said walls. The updraft outlets 16 for these fines of a compartment are preferablyarranged in a row across the'compartment approximately centrally above the underground draft flue or tunnel (Z of such compartment. The lines 15, of a compartment are arranged inline with'the closed portions of the top arch of salddraft tunnel or flue (Z, that Is, between the outlets from the exhaust or suction lines 12, into said draft tunnel, so that the ends of the fines 15, are in effect closed by the imperfora-te 40' portions of the arch of said tunnel.

Thekiln is provided with suitable furnaces or other burners, in addition to burners 6, to discharge hotor burning products into the compartments somewhere between the updraft and down draft portions of the floor of each compartment. .Each compartment can be provided with. any suitable number of such furnaces, although in the example'illustrated, I show each compart ment provided with a pair of such additional burners arranged opposite each other in theside walls of the compartment. For instance, I show each compartment provided with elevated up draft furnaces 20,

arranged in and extending through the opposite side walls of the kiln and operative from the exterior thereof and provided with 'anysuitable exterlor doors, dampers, or

other controlling means. At their inner ends, these furnaces 20, discharge into suitable vertical bag Walls 21, arranged at the opposite inner sides of the compartment and opening and discharging at their upper ends into the upper portion of the interior of the compartment usually into. the combustion cession, the down draft or longitudinal depressed discharge flues 12, of a compartment are continued through the base of the right hand end wall 2, of such compartment and a short distance beneath the floor of the next compartment, that is up to the transverse bottom wall 11", of said next compartment. 1

The partitions 2, of the kiln are formed with transverse vertical openings 2", co-in ciding with flues 12, and extended upwardly above the level of the kiln floor to place adjoining compartments in communication and these openings 2, are extended horizontally in the kiln floor and into the fines 12,

to provide outlets therefrom into the inlet or updraft end of the adjacent compartment.

The depending or base portions of the par- .titions 2, below the floor level coincide with and are virtually continuations or portions of the longitudinal walls 9, beneath the kiln floor.

In operating a multi-compartment or continuous kiln, several successive compartments will be in simultaneous operation but at different stages of the process, and the heated products will be drawn from one compartmentv to the other. For instance, if

. all three compartments A, B. C, of the particular example illustrated, should be filled with articles to be burned and should be in simultaneous operation but at different stages, the dampers d in the branch draft tunnels (l, to compartments A and B, would be closed and the branch tunnel (l, to compartment C, would be open and the pull or suction of the exhaust fan or stack would be concentrated on the branch draft tunnel cl, of said compartment C, and the gaseous products would be drawn from the down draft side of compartment C through the outlet openings 8, and discharge flues 12, thereof, and the products would be drawn down through the pile of articles on the right hand side of deflecting partition I),

and from the space a, in the top of compartment, and up through the pile of articles on the left hand side of partition Z1, and up through the updraft openings 8, and fines 7, from the burner passage 0, if the burners 6 are in operation. The products from the compartment B, would be drawn therefrom and into compartment C through the open-.

-ings'2, in the partition 2,;mdfrom thelongitudinal 'fiues 12 of said compartment B. This would cause the desired down draft through the articles to the right of partition 6 and updraft through the articles to the left of partition I, in compartment B and through the openings 2 in partition 2,

from the compartment A, in which the up and down draft will be maintained as just i described in connection with the compart- 10.

ments B, and C. n r I In starting the operatlon 1n a compartment, such' as A, the compartment is filled :with the articles to be burned on both sides of the deflecting'partition b, so that said articles' will be approximately evenly distributed throughout the floor of the com partment. The passages 2, whereby the discharge end of compartment A, can be.

uniformly under the portion of the, floor at the updraft side of the compartment to -maintain the same approximately uniformly heated throughout, and said burning prod, ucts are discharged upwardly through the openings 8, to cause the required temperature to be maintained uniformly throughout the' mass of articles to the left of the partition 6. The draft is longitudinally of the compartment through the space a, and. the desired temperature is kept up-1n the space a by the hot or burning products discharged thereinto from .behind the bag walls 21, of the furnaces ;or burners 20. The burning products are drawn from the space a, down through the mass of articles to the right of the partition b, and the, desired high t'em perature is maintainedapproximately uniformly throughout said articles by theuniform distribution of the outlet openings 8,

' of the compartment to cause a uniform dis-.

into the outlet flues 12, that discharge into the exhaust tunnel (Z. The flues 12'are unis formly distributed at the down draft side tribution of the heat in the lower ortion of the pile of articles at theidown draft side of'v the compartment, and this uniform heating. of the floor at the down-draft'side of the compartmentand of the lower portion of the mass. of articles thereon, is aided bythe several spaced longitudinal depressed flues 15, extending direct from the combustion passage 0, of the compartment and discharging heated products; therefrom upwardly through the updraft ports 16,- into said mass of articles; The heated products from'the down draft burners 6, are drawn through the piles of articles at both sides of the defiecting partition and hence through the entire compartment while the heated products from the updraft furnaces 20, are drawn through only part of the compartment and are utilized to'build up the temperature at 7 the top of the compartment and at the down draft side or end thereof to the desired temperature such as existing at the updraft side of the compartment. The lower or down draft burners 6 are utilized to maintain the desired high temperature at or in the bottom or floor portion of the compartmentv while the furnaces or burners 20, are utilized to aid in maintaining said high temperature in the top and down draft portions of the compartment. The object being to maintain the desired burning temperature approximately uniform throughout the entire mass or masses of articles in the compartment to attain perfect uniform burning of all articlesin the compartment, and thereby attain a very high percentage of perfect products at each burning.

When the stage in the process has been reached in the compartment A, rendering it desirable to draw the heated products therefrom through compartment B, the damper d, in thevdraft tunnel (Z, to compartment A, is closed, and a damper d in a tunnel (l, to a compartment to the right is opened. The heat accumulating in compartment A, will then-cause the paper or canvas closing the passages '2, from compartment A, to be consumed so' as-to open said passages and place v compartment A, in direct commu'nica- 0 tion with compartment B, with the results hereinbefore described. v

In Figs.10,to 13, of the drawings, I show certain features of my invention applied to a single compartment kiln, in this instanc'e, '1 around kiln. This kiln is formed witli any suitable inclosing or surrounding wall 30, and witlra' floor 31,- on which the articles to be burned are piled. These articles are so "stacked on the floor as to'form a vertical de- 1 fleeting screen or partition 6, extending completely across and approximately centrally of the kiln and from the floor up to the open or combustion space above the mass of arti- 016s and below the kiln ceiling. This par'tir15 tion is preferablycomp'osed of articles to be burnedand' is built when the green articles are stacked in the kiln and is removed with the fired or burned articles. This partition divides the mass of articles to be burned i into one portion at the updraft side of the kiln and another portion at the down draft side of the kiln. In thewall 3O atthe do'wn' draft side of tl1e' kil11, I arrange a number .of furnaces or other'burners' 32,.suitably "12 spaced apart and operativefrom the exterior of said wall and opening and discharging inwardly into a manifold or distributing g 'passageor chamber .33, arranged underthe floor 31, at the-down draft side of the :kiln

and extending along the inner side of' the I wall 30. A series of parallel fiues 34, is arranged immediately under the kiln floor and these fiues open into said distributing passage 33 and extend therefrom to the updraft side of thekiln. The fiues extend completely across the kiln and are spaced apart and unithe portion of the floor located to the right (in the illustration) of the deflecting partition '5; The portion of the kiln fioor to the left of partition 5, constitutes the fioorof the downdraft side of the kiln or compart-r ment, and said portion of the floor is formed with spaced exhaust or outlet ports or openings 36, uniformly arranged throughout the area thereof usually in series of rows at right angles to each other. The exhaust ports 36, open-into spaced draft or exhaust fines 37 arranged below said floor and parali lel with andbetween the flues'34, but cut ofi from direct communication therewith, and also out off from direct communication with the distributing passage 33, although approximately extending from the wall thereof to the grehter of the kiln bottom and there opening and discharging into an under ground draft or discharge tunnel or flue 38,

arranged below the fioor of the kiln and lo gitudinally with respect to or in the same ve tical plane as the deflecting partition 6. A maindraft tunnel ordepressed passage 39 Opens into the center of the transverse tun-' nel 38, and extends therefrom to a suitable exterior stack or other draft creating outlet (if so'desired) provided with a suction fan .(not shown). The draft tunnel 38 intersects all of the exhaust fines 36, so that the series of openings from said flues into said tunnel is arranged longitudinally of and approxi mately throughout the length of the tunnel. Said flues usually open downwardly into the top portion of the tunnel between longitudinal walls under and supporting the kiln floor, and the fines 34 are also formed be tween certain of said longitudinal walls. The fiues 34 extend across the draft tunnel 38 and are-closed from. direct communication therewith. At the updraft side of the kiln I provide a suitable number of spaced updraft furnaces or other suitable burners 40,. opening through the kiln wall and operative and controlled from the exterior of the kiln and attheir inner ends open- 'kiln behind vertical bag walls &1.

ing and discharging into the interior of the The spaces behind the bag walls open into the upper part of the interior of the kiln usually above the stacks of articles to be burned. The hot or burning products are drawn from the furnaces 32, into the distributing passage 33, and therefrom under the kiln floor through flues 3% and upwardly through ports 35, into the bottom part of the mass of articles at the updraft side of the kiln. The burning or hot products are drawn up through said articles and laterally above the deflecting partition and then down through the mass ,of articles at the down draft side of the kiln and out through openingszor ports 36, fiues37, .and tunnels 38, and 39. The heat or combustion is kept up and rein- "forced in the upper and down draft portions of the kiln by the up draft burners 40, as will be readily understood from the description of the multi-compartment kiln. The advantages of the various flues under the fioor of the kiln and opening therethrough will also be understood from the description of the multi-compartment of the kiln, as the desirable uniform heating and uniform burning is also attained in the round or single compartment kiln. To attain uniform distribution of heated products in and draft through the various fiues 34, I usually arrange obstruction 33 in distributing passage 33, so thateach furnace 32, will serve certain flues34.

It is evident that various modifications, variations, changes, omissions, and additions might be resortedv to with respect to; the particular examples illustrated, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

\Vhat'I claim is 1. A kiln compartment having. an area of its floor formed with up draft openings, fiues distributed under said floor and extending to said openings, burners in communication with said flues, another area of said floor having down draft or exhaust openings, exhaust-fines from said exhaust openings, an exhaust passage communicating with v said exhaust fines, and additional burners arranged to discharge into the .upper portion of said compartment, substantially as described. i

kdziln having a compartment to receive the articles to be fired, a fiooron which said articles )are adapted to be supported, said kiln arranged to provide. an updraft :through the articles in one pdrtion of said compartinent and a down draft through the articles in another portion of said compartment, a system of fioor-heating fiues arranged below saidfloor and discharging'upwardly'therethrough into the up draft portion of said'compartment, heating means for and common. to all,of.said -,flues; all d frangeds'bglow fl i LfiCQI, a. system pf exhaust fiues. arranged below said 'fioor and, having exhaust openings from the; down. draft portlon ofpsaidacom-partment, ah exhaustapas sage common-to saidexhaust. flues,and.ar- 3 ranged beloiv: said floor, and additional heatinq ofsaid compartment.

3. -A.T=klln "having means I updraft through onexportion' of'a compartdown draft area of saidfioor;

ment-"adapted to receive the articles to be burned and times combustion space at the top of'e-said compartment and a down draft from said space through another portion of said compartment, burners discharging into said updraft? side of= the compartment, and

additional burners discharging into said.

- combustion -space,;substantially as described; a

4. Aikilncompartment having an area of its floor 'formediawvith iupf draft openings uniformly distributed throughout said area, heating flues distrflibuted under said floor and extending-to. said openings, means for uniformly-supplying {burning products to said "fiues, the remaining area of said floor having 'down' draft, or exhaust openings uniformlydistributed" therein, exhaust fines from-said exhaust openings, and an exhaust passage common to and Communicating with said exhaust fiues,certain heatingflues having updraft discharge openings through the 5. A kiln having a eompartmentto receive the articles to be fired, a floor-on which said articles are' 'adapted to be supported, said.

kiln arranged to' -provide an-updraft through the afticlesin bne portion of said compartment and adown draft through the articles in anotherportion of said compartment, a:

system of un'iformlyrdistributed floor-heating'fl 'iesarrangedbeloivsaid floor and dis-1 charging'upwardly' therethrough into them draft portion of said-compartment, atransverse 'pa'ssage for supplying hotproducts' uniformlyt'o all-of said 'fiues, a system of uniformly-distributed exhaust flues arrangedbelow said floor andhaving exhaust openings from the down draft portlonof said con1pa rtment',-j.; and an exhaust passage common to said exhaust. flues.

. 6. A kiln having a transverse passage below the kiln floor, burners at bothfe-hds of and discharging into said 'passage,; a sgries of spaced floor heating flu'es arranged below the floor transversely of and opening 1nto said passage and having discharge openings upwardly through saidvfloor, a draft or outlet passage, and series of exhaust fiues ar ranged below said floor transversely With respect to said outlet passage and discharging laterally thereinto and provided With inlet ports opening vertically through said floor.

7. A kiln having a transverse passage armeansmopening; into the; upper portionto maintain; an

. opening vertically through said'doWn draft of fines, and an exhaust system of fines befloor, y 8. A k1ln I beneath lts'floor, furnaces dischargmg into said passage, said floor comprising an up; draft area and a down draft area, snow; heatlng fiues arranged below'thefloor'and.

having a distributing passage v} through said floor andmnrfprn 1y c ist'ributed throughout the updraft areag of said: floor, j f" said passage discharging into said system neath the floor of the kiln and having outlet ports from the .kiln opening vertically. through said floor and uniformly distributed throughout. the downdraft area of said transversely with respect to; and opening into said passage to draw hot products there from and having a multiplicity of discharge ports spaced apart and opening vertically through said; up draft area of the floor plicity of exhaust ports ,spacedapart and area of the floor. 1

burners in communication with, and supplylng heated products to said lnlet' ports, draft maintainingfmeans in communication avith said exhaust ports for drawing the products downwardly therethrough, and burners dis-t,

charging heated products into the kiln above said floorareas, for thepurpfo se substan-.

tiallyas described. v v

r 1().- A kiln having a compartment adapted} .to receive stacks of articles to be. burned,

said compartment havingafloor on Which said stacks are piled, said stacks including portion at theother side of the scremsaid .90 .means for malntaining the up and down; draft through the kiln comprising a multi ,IH, .95. 9. A kiln having. its floor divided into an up draft:- area formed ith--inlet portsJunii .formly distributed. throu ghout said area and a dovvn draft area formed with exhaust ports I uniformlydistributed throughout said area,-

" and divided 'by' a removable vertical de-* fiecting screen into an up draft portion at one'side of thescreen and, a down. draft. I

stacks adaptedto be s'o'ai'ranged asto'providge -"an upper 'combustlon space below the. 1

ceiling of the :conipartment and above said 35 exhaust openings, and means for supplying adapted to be stacked in said compartment wardly through said floor into the articles at the u draft side of the compartment," and a means or exhausting hot gaseous roducts downwardly through the floor and rain the down draft side of the compartment.

12. A kiln havin a compartment in which the articles'to be urned are stacked so as r to provide an up draft portion and a down low said updraft portion of the stack of draft portion and a combustion space above said portions, said com artment having a floor on which said artic es are stacked, said floor having vertical inlet openings uniformly distributedthroughout the area bearticles, said floor also having vertical ex-' 'haust openings uniformly distributed throughout the area below said down draft portion ofthe stackflof articles, means for supplying hot gaseousproducts into said compartment through said inlet openings, means for exhausting gaseous prod said compartment downwardly through'sa-id hot gaseous products directly into said combustlon space and independently of said let openin vide anup draft portion and a downdraft portion with a combustion space above said portions, said com artment having .a floor on which said artic es are stacked, said floor having vertical 'inlet. openings 7 approxi:

mately uniformly distributed throughout the area below said up draft portion of the stack arran ,vfloor EZlhw' said down of articles andalso havln inlet 0. nin

about centrall cg the areaPbf-tli raft portion of the stack of articles, said floor a so having exhaus't openings arranged appzoximately uniformly throughout the area low said down draft portion of the stack of articles, means ucts from 13. A kid: having acompartment in which the articles to be burned are stacked to pro-' exhaust for exhausting gaseous products from said chamber downwardly through .said exhaust openings, and means. for supplying hot gase ous products into said compartmentthrough' said, several inlet openings.

- "14. A kiln having a floor on which the ar ticles to be burned are stacked, area of said floor having inlet ports opening vertically therethrough and distributed approximately uniformly therein, another-area of sald fioor having vertical exhaust downwardly therethrough an a proximately-uniformly distributed, para flues' approximately uniformly distributed under said-'floor, said inletports opening into certain of said flues, said outlet ports opening into other of said flues, means for maintaining combustion, and draft maintalnin means 15. kiln havingseveral successive compartments, partitions between the compart ments, :said' compartments having floors, said partitions having transverse openings at their lower portions extending above the floor and whereby the compartments can beplaced indirect communication with each other, each, compartment having depressed burners and flues therefrom opening upwardly through an area of the compartment floor, exhaust flues belowthe compartment floerhaving exhaust openings through another area of said floor, means for main; taining the draft. through said exhaust flues v and from said compartment, and additional burners discharging into the upper portion of said compartment. 1

. 16. A sinegle cor'npartm'ent kiln havin a floor 'divid into an up draft area an a down draft areatflues approximately'uniformly distributedunder 's'aid floor beneath both areas thereofand havingvertical dis-.

charge openings-through" the 11 draft area,

draft areaor the floor,-meansfor"supplying ot gaseous productsjto' mentioned .common to said exhaust flues a v In testimon Iaflix'my signature FGEORGE W. OGAN. Witnesses: I i V 1 Jo 11mm,

Ema Ocam.

p 4 ues arranged ;u nd'er;;t eifloor and having .jexhau'staopenings; through the. down 

